Adjustable tar removing filter for smokers

ABSTRACT

A smoke filter for cigarettes, cigars or pipes employs a manually adjustable needle valve stem in combination with a restricted orifice valve seat axially disposed in one end of a cylindrical condensation chamber. Smoke drawn through the needle valve is compressed and accelerated by its passage through the restricted orifice, and then it expands upon entering the condensation chamber where condensed tars are trapped. One or more lateral grooves formed in the exterior surface of the valve stem prevent complete closure of the needle valve. One disclosed embodiment is in a cigarette holder wherein the condensation chamber is removable and disposable. An alternative embodiment discloses an inexpensive form of the filter attached directly to the tip of a cigarette. A third embodiment discloses a cigarette holder wherein the condensation chamber and mouthpiece are formed of inexpensive molded plastic and are removable as a unit and entirely replaceable.

United States Patent Cook [ 1 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] ADJUSTABLE TAR REMOVING FILTER FOR SMOKERS W. Roland Cook, W. Roland Cook Ass., Co. 20 lntervale Place, Greenwich, Conn. 06830 [22] Filed: Jan. 5,1970

[21] Appl.No.: 563

[72] Inventor:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 634,806 10/1899 Davey ..131/215 B X Great Britain ..l3 l/2l0 Sweden ..l3l/2l0 57 ABSTRACT A smoke filter for cigarettes, cigars or pipes employs a manually adjustable needle valve stem in combination with a restricted orifice valve seat axially disposed in one end of a cylindrical condensation chamber. Smoke drawn through the needle valve is compressed and accelerated by its passage through the restricted orifice, and then it expands upon entering the condensation chamber where condensed tars are trapped. One or more lateral grooves formed in the exterior surface of the valve stem prevent complete closure of the needle valve. One disclosed embodiment is in a cigarette holder wherein the condensation chamber is removable and disposable. An alternative embodiment discloses an inexpensive form of the filter attached directly to the tip of a cigarette. A third 2,146,613 2/1939 Bejum -131/215 B embodiment discloses a cigarette holder wherein the conden- 3174487 3/1965 l MAM/210x sation chamber and mouthpiece are formed of inexpensive 3,232,299 2/1966 Mlller X molded plastic and are removable as a unit and entirely 3,490,465 l/l970 Kalbfeld ..l31/210 X 1 b 3,503,406 3/1970 Riegel et al. ..131/l0.3 X

1 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,495,169 8/1967 France ..131/215 B 76\ t\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 77/ F \\\\\\\\\\\\\W PATENTEDHARZI m2 SHEET 1 BF 2 Tan]. 13 l YII/l/IY/IIl/I //////l I l// I l 0 d n a Z 0 R W ATTORNEY ADJUSTABLE TAR REMOVING FILTER FOR SMOKERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the increasing public concern over reports that smoking tobacco may be hazardous to health, a multitude of cigarette filters have been devised in recent years. Most of these employ cellulose or other fibrous material, sometimes combined with charcoal granules, compacted into a mouthpiece through which smoke is drawn. Many research studies have shown that the most effective tar removing filters are those which are most tightly compacted and present the greatest resistance to the passage of smoke therethrough. Certain consumer studies also indicate that the most effective filters are often the least acceptable to consumers, and that many smokers decline to use any filtered cigarette because of the hard draw" as well as a reduction in flavor and taste which the filters introduce.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an inexpensive smoke filter requiring no cellular or granular absorbents, and characterized by an easily adjustable structure which enables each smoker to select the degree of filtration and the amount of draw which suits his taste. When incorporated into a cigarette holder or pipe stem the filter of the invention may employ a removable and disposable tar trap cartridge which substantially eliminates the need for frequent cleaning of the holder or pipe. The filtering action of the invention is achieved by adiabatic expansion of compressed smoke passing through the narrow orifice of an adjustable needle valve into a disposable expansion chamber where the tars are condensed and trapped.

An object of the invention is to provide an adjustable tobacco smoke filter of relatively simple and inexpensive constructron.

Another object is to provide such a filter with a removable and disposable tar trap.

A further object is to provide such a filter which is highly efficient in the removal of tar from tobacco smoke.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompany drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the filter of the invention as adapted for attachment directly to the end of a cigarette;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section view ofthe assembled cigarette shown partially and filter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view of the filter of the invention as embodied in a cigarette or cigar holder;

FIG. 4 is a staggered cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section view of an alternative embodiment of the invention in a cigarette holder having a removable, disposable and replaceable tar trap cartridge;

FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged detailed view of the filter portion, in open position, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in greater detail to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the simplest form of the invention employed as a cigarette filter tip comprises essentially two parts, a cylindrical mouthpiece member 10 which includes and contains a tar trap chamber 13 (FIG. 2), and an adjustable needle valve member indicated generally at 11. The mouthpiece and trap member 10, and the needle valve member 11 may both be formed of inexpensive molded plastic material such as, for example, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of needle valve member 11 is adapted to slidably and frictionally engage the inner cylindrical wall 10a of mouthpiece member 10, as shown in FIG. 2. An inner cylindrical wall portion 14 of needle valve member 11 is adapted to receive and adhere to a cigarette 15 which may be affixed thereto by a suitable binder or cement.

The mouthpiece end of member 10 is partially closed by a wall section 16 which is preferably recessed in the form of a spherical concave section as shown in FIG. 2. A smoke draw passage, or exit port 17 is formed through the recessed end wall 16 by an inwardly extending coaxial tubular portion 18 as shown in FIG. 2. Approximately midway within the tubular mouthpiece member 10 is inserted an annular substantially conical, collar member 19 which is seated upon and secured to an inner annular shoulder 20 formed within the bore of the cylindrical mouthpiece member 10. It will be understood that within the scope of modern molding techniques the conical wall portion 19 may be formed integrally with the mouthpiece member 10 instead of being a separate piece inserted and sealed to the annular shoulder 20 as shown in FIG. 2. An axial opening 21 through wall portion 19 is adapted to receive the narrow end 22 of needle valve member 1 1. A plurality of apertures 26 and 27 formed in the base of the tapered portion of needle valve member 11, as clearly shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, permit passage of smoke from cigarette 15 to be drawn into the smoke receiving and tar condensing chamber 13 when vacuum is applied through draw port 17. When the needle valve member 11 is fully seated in the opening 21 of wall 19 as shown by solid lines in FIG. 2, the only remaining passages for the flow of smoke are a plurality of grooves 24-25 (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) formed in the outer tapered surface of needle valve member 11, and filtration is at a maximum effectiveness. By manually sliding the mouthpiece member 10 forward, i.e., from left to right as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the area between conical member 11 and the orifice 21 of wall portion 19 is increased thereby reducing the velocity of smoke therethrough. When conical needle valve member 11 is withdrawn from orifice 21 to the extent shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2 minimum velocity of smoke is obtained through orifice 21 with corresponding reduction of tar condensation in chamber 13, although some filtering action remains because of the acceleration and subsequent expansion of smoke as it passes around conical member 11 and through the orifice 21 of wall portion 19 into the expansion chamber 13.

Still referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the manner in which smoke filtration and tar removal is achieved by the structure of the invention is as follows: When the smoker inhales or draws upon the mouthpiece member 10, a partial vacuum is created within the chamber 13. External atmospheric pressure then causes smoke from the burning cigarette 15 to pass through the openings 26 and 27 into the space 29. Smoke velocity now accelerates through the restrictive orifice 21 at a rate controlled by the position of conical member 11 in relation to orifice 21. As smoke passes through the restricted orifice 21 at an accelerated velocity it then immediately and adiabatically expands ,within chamber 13. Because of this adiabatic expansion, tars and other deleterious components of the smoke condense in the chamber 13 and, settle on the walls of chamber 13, and are thus removed from the smoke which finally passes through exit port 17 of mouthpiece member 10 and into the mouth and lungs of the smoker. The inwardly extending tubular portion 18 surrounding exit port 17 effectively prevents the accumulated and condensed tars from being drawn into the smokers mouth.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings the invention will be described as embodied in an adjustable cigarette or cigar holder. A stem or mouthpiece member 40 is formed of thermosetting molded plastic material and is provided with a smoke entrance port 41 surrounded by an inwardly extending tubular wall portion 42. Smoke drawn into entrance port 41 travels through an axial bore 43 to an exit port 44 in the mouthpiece end of member 40. A cylindrical wall portion 45 of member 40 is joined to a corresponding cylindrical wall portion 46 of a hollow cylindrical member 47. By certain molding techniques it may be possible to mold the cylinder 47 and the stem portion 40 as a unitary integral piece, thereby eliminating any need for a seam or force fit juncture between two pieces as shown at 45 and 46.

The left end of cylindrical member 47 as viewed in FIG. 3'

may have formed thereon a plurality of fine helical threads 48 for engagement with corresponding internal threads of a cylindrical tube 49 or may be slideably engaged. At the opposite end of tube 49 the inner tubular wall is flared as shown at 50 to facilitate the insertion and holding of a cigarette or cigar therein. Inserted within the inner bore of tube 49 is a conical member 51. Member 51 has a plurality of openings 52 and 53 therethrough and may have a plurality of grooves such as 54 formed in the tapered conical portion thereof. The configuration of needle member 51 may be substantially the same as that of conical portion 11 described above with reference to FIG. 2 and shown in end view by FIG. 4, or it may be of the form to be described hereinafter with reference to the alternate embodiment of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. An axial opening in end wall 55 of intermediate member 47 is penetrated by the tip of conical member 51 and forms an orifice therearound.

In the same manner as described above with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 2, smoke from a burning cigarette or cigar in tubular holder 49 (FIG. 3) is drawn through the openings 52 and 53 in conical member 51, then accelerates through the orifice at the juncture of axial opening 55 and conical member 51 and thereafter upon passing through the very restricted orifice immediately expands in the relatively large volume of chamber 57 where tars and other deleterious components of the smoke condense and are thus removed before the smoke reaches entrance port 41. The rate of acceleration of smoke through the orifice and expansion of smoke in chamber 57 is readily controlled by manually screwing or sliding the tube 49 either toward or away from the intermediate member 47 to vary the size of the orifice opening. The expansion chamber enclosed by intermediate portion 47 may be molded of a translucent plastic material enabling the user to observe the accumulation of tar therein. When tar accumulation in chamber 57 becomes excessive the user merely unscrews the plastic portion 40-47 from the metallic tube 49, and discards the tar trap and stem and replaces the metal tube 49 on a new and clean plastic member.

I Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 7 of the drawings an alternative embodiment of the invention will be described in an adjustable filter holder having a removable and disposable internal filter cartridge. As viewed from left to right in FIG. 5 this embodiment comprises a cylindrical metallic tube member 60 having its open end slightly flared as shown at 61 for receiving and gripping a cigarette end inserted therein, and fine helical screw threads 62 may be formed in the internal wall surface of the opposite end. A conical member 63 is inserted into and seated upon annular shoulder 64 formed on the inner wall of the tube 60. A second metallic cylinder 65 of substantially the same external diameter as tube 60 may have corresponding fine helical threads 66 formed on its left end, as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6, in threadable engagement with the internal threads 62 of tube 60. The opposite end 66 of tubular member 65 has a plurality of coarser helical threads 67 formed on the inner wall thereof and threadably engaging corresponding male threads 68 formed on the outer cylindrical portion of a molded plastic mouthpiece member 69. Within the enclosure formed by tubular members 60-65, and mouthpiece member 69, is contained a cylindrical tar trap capsule generally indicated at 70. For all purposes of the invention the capsule 70 may be of unitary construction, having an annular orifice forming portion 71 formed in the left end thereof as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6, with a coaxial opening 72 therethrough to receive and seat the diminishing end of conical member 63, and a smoke exit port 74 formed in the opposite (righthand as viewed in FIG. 5) end surrounded by an inwardly extending coaxial annular wall portion 75. For cost economy in manufacture the tar condensing chamber may preferably be formed of two snap engaging force fitting parts joined at the annular friction engaging junction line 75 in FIG. 5. The entire smoke condensing tar entrapping cartridge 70 is securely held within the enclosing tubular member 65 by its engagement with annular shoulder 76 at the lefthand end of tubular sleeve 65 (as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6) and the annular shoulder 77 formed in the inner bore of mouthpiece member 69. In FIG. 5 the conical member 63 is shown in its substantially closed position fully seated against orifice 72 in wall portion 71 of disposable cartridge 70. However, this filter valve is never completely closed because smoke may still be drawn through the grooves 78 and 79 formed in the exterior surface of needle member 63. In FIG. 6 the needle valve filter is shown in a substantially open position with tubular member 60 screwed outwardly from cylindrical member 65 to approximately the maximum opening of orifice 72 at which useful filtering action is obtainable.

As shown in FIG. 7 the metal or plastic member 63 is formed in a stamping or molding operation to leave substantial arcuate openings 80 and 81 free from engagement with the annular shoulder, or any other portion, of tubular member 60, whereby smoke may be drawn through openings 80 and 81 into the chamber 82 (FIG. 6) from which it passes at an accelerated rate through the adjustable restricted orifice 72. The adiabatic expansion of smoke into elongated chamber 70 produces condensation and removal of tar and other deleterious constituents of the smoke before entering exit port 74 and passing through mouthpiece 69 into the mouth and/or lungs of the smoker. When a substantial quantity of tar and other residue has collected within the condensation cartridge 70, the mouthpiece 69 is removed from the cylinder 65, the cartridge 70 is removed and discarded, and a fresh clean cartridge is inserted in cylinder 65 and secured in position by replacing mouthpiece 69. Because the disposable cartridges can be fabricated of inexpensive material they may be discarded as frequently as desired by a fastidious smoker, and there remains minimum need for otherwise cleaning the cigarette holder.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the adjustable filter and tar trap of the invention may be readily incorporated into the stem of a smokers pipe, as well as in cigarette or cigar holders.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above articles without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cigarette filter holder having a disposable tar trap and means for adjusting the degree of filtration comprising in combination,

A. a first cylindrical sleeve having an open end thereof for receiving a cigarette,

l. a conical member mounted within said sleeve,

a. said member having a conically pointed portion extending axially in said sleeve in a direction opposite to said cigarette receiving end,

B. a second cylindrical elongated sleeve member movably engageable with a mating cylindrical surface of said first sleeve opposite said cigarette receiving end thereof,

C. a mouthpiece having a cylindrical portion engageable with the opposite end of said second sleeve member,

D. an elongated cylindrical tar collecting capsule insertable within said second cylindrical sleeve member between said first sleeve and said mouthpiece,

1. means providing an axial opening in one end of said capsule adapted to receive the pointed portion of said conical member and to form an adjustable annular orifice therewith, and

2. means providing an axial opening in the opposite end 

1. A cigarette filter holder having a disposable tar trap and means for adjusting the degree of filtration comprising in combination, A. a first cylindrical sleeve having an open end thereof for receiving a cigarette,
 1. a conical member mounted within said sleeve, a. said member having a conically pointed portion extending axially in said sleeve in a direction opposite to said cigarette receiving end, B. a second cylindrical elongated sleeve member movably engageable with a mating cylindrical surface of said first sleeve opposite said cigarette receiving end thereof, C. a mouthpiece having a cylindrical portion engageable with the opposite end of said second sleeve member, D. an elongated cylindrical tar collecting capsule insertable within said second cylindrical sleeve member between said first sleeve and said mouthpiece,
 1. means providing an axial opening in one end of said capsule adapted to receive the pointed portion of said conical member and to form an adjustable annular orifice therewith, and
 2. means providing an axial opening in the opposite end of said capsule surrounded by an inwardly extending annular wall, whereby when said first and second sleeve members are engaged, and said capsule and said mouthpiece are inserted into said second sleeve, smoke from a burning cigarette received in said first sleeve passes through said adjustable orifice into said tar collecting capsule and thence through said mouthpiece.
 2. means providing an axial opening in the opposite end of said capsule surrounded by an inwardly extending annular wall, whereby when said first and second sleeve members are engaged, and said capsule and said mouthpiece are inserted into said second sleeve, smoke from a burning cigarette received in said first sleeve passes through said adjustable orifice into said tar collecting capsule and thence through said mouthpiece. 